


Empty Shelves

by dijon



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:21:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23216926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dijon/pseuds/dijon
Summary: Dan’s a naturopath who own a small, hole-in-the-wall herbal medicine shop in London. His life is a little bit lonely.
Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Comments: 10
Kudos: 23
Collections: phandomficfests: escape from reality





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was started for phandomficfest: escape from reality. We’ll see where it goes from here...

The crisp air hits Dan in the face as he opens the door to the shop. It’s startling for a September morning, but he’s secretly looking forward to it cooling down, this summer had been hot and muggy in London. 

Autumn was his favourite season, even if that did make him a basic bitch. 

Dragging the sign out the door, he sets it on the edge of the pavement and steps back to ensure it’s straight and give it a once over. He worked hard on the font this morning, he hopes someone appreciates it. 

Movement across the lane grabs his attention. Two men are struggling with fitting a sofa through the doorway up to Mrs. Robinson’s flat. Or what was her flat, Dan reminds himself. 

She had passed away a few months ago, and Dan missed her bitter personality the moment she was gone. 

Although she had never bought anything from his shop, she visited him multiple times a week. Sometimes just popping her head in to complain about the weather, other times settling into the chair by the fire for an hour and commenting on the world passing by. 

She never admitted to enjoying Dan’s company but he figured he was one of the only people she ran into who enjoyed her dark sense of humour. 

They kept each other company, both fairly lonely in life. Her children had long moved away and visited only a few times a year and her husband had been gone almost two decades. And Dan hadn’t spoken to his family in over five years. Even his social life was limited, so Mrs. Robinson was a welcome distraction. 

He glances once more across at the struggling men, smiling with her memory floating through his head. He hopes Mrs. Robinson’s ghost will appreciate whoever is moving in. The woman is most definitely haunting the place, waiting to toy with whoever it is, surely not up to her standards. 

Dan shakes his head with a laugh and walks back into the shop. 

———

Dan’s perched on the edge of a stool waiting for his take-away order at Harry’s, the pub down the laneway. It was late when he closed up, so he called in to order something instead of cooking...because he cooks for himself so often. 

Francis that works the counter now knows him by name, face, his order, his shop and too many other personal details. They’d gotten friendly over the last few years, even grabbing a drink or dinner on occasion. 

“Daniel!” yells Francis in a more posh voice than required. 

He stands up and moves to grab the bags out of his hand and criticize his accent, but as he gets closer, Francis lowers his voice and tilts his head towards Dan. What he does when he has gossip. 

“Don’t look but that cutie by the door is giving you the eye. And by don’t look, I mean look, talk, see where it goes,” the look of glee on his face makes Dan’s stomach flip in discomfort. Francis gets overly excited when there’s any potential for Dan to “see the attractions” as he so lovingly puts it. 

Francis is outgoing and sees more attractions in a month than Dan has in a year. Not that he never does, but it’s a lot of emotional effort to go sight-seeing. And he’s fine with that, for the most part. 

“You’re awful,” Dan grabs the bag from his hand and reluctantly turns towards the door. 

Oh. 

He is cute. He’s more than cute. And he’s looking directly at Dan, striking blue eyes staring right into him. He’s flustered when he realizes Dan is looking back at him. 

The stranger awkwardly smiles and looks at his feet for a moment. Dan can feel his face blush. 

He needs to leave, now. 

They make eye contact again as he passes and Dan gives him a small smile, which is immediately returned. He most certainly does not take Francis’ advice to stay and talk, and shuffles out the door before he makes a fool of himself. 

Before he even opens the door to his flat, his pocket is buzzing with a text. 

francis: WHY DIDNT YOU TALK TO HIM DANIEL!!! HE LOOKS DEVESTATED. 

Ever the dramatic, Dan thinks, as he rolls his eyes and puts his phone back in his pocket. 

It’s not five minutes later that another text comes in. 

francis: HE ASKED IF I WAS FRIENDS WITH YOU. SOMEONE IS INTERESTED.

dan: that was so awkward, no way he is

francis: You were fine. And he is.

dan: what did you say

francis: I said yes of course. 

dan: there’s no way that’s all you said, i need a play-by-play if you were talking about me

francis: SO NEEDY. He said, “Are you friends with that guy who just left?” I said “Yes, hunny” and he said “OK” then thanked me for his order and walked out the door. That’s it.

dan: he just said ok? who just says ok? that’s weird right?

francis: I’m not a shrink Daniel. I don’t know what it means.

dan: you just told me he was interested and that was the only conversation you had with him how can you now say you don’t know what it means

francis: Maybe he comes into the shop and you’ve just never noticed him? I don’t know.

dan: how in the world would i not notice HIM

francis: True. Maybe he didn’t really exist and we had a shared hallucination and now we just get to enjoy the image of him in our minds for the rest of eternity.

dan: i’m ending this conversation now

francis: Oh crybaby. Are you still up for drinks after my shift?

dan: only if you bring them round and stop talking about shared hallucinations with you my mind is scarred just thinking about it

francis: Fine fine fine! See you soon.

Dan sets his food out on the coffee table in the lounge, wondering what “OK” would have sounded like coming out of the stranger’s mouth. 

He could have found out if he had just said something to him. A simple “Hi” would have done it. 

Maybe he should have followed Francis’ advice. 

No. That thought stops right in its tracks. Advice from Francis only leads to trouble... he’s learned that the hard way once or twice.

Maybe it’s better that he didn’t talk to him, it’s easier to get over a cute face than one that also sounds great. 

“STOPPPP,” he groans out loud to his empty flat, and grabs his phone for a distraction before Francis arrives.


	2. Chapter 2

The pain in his head has yet to subside when the bell on the shop’s door rings, indicating someone was disturbing his self-pity hangover party. 

Francis didn’t leave until three too many drinks in, last night and Dan wasn’t a morning person to begin with. A customer coming in before 10 was his own personal hell today. 

From his spot on the chair behind the counter, he musters up every ounce of energy in him and stands up with the best welcome face he can manage. 

“Morning,” his voice too chipper, it almost burns. An older woman enters with a teenage girl tagging along behind her, head down. 

“Good morning, dear,” the woman is short in stature with white curls, thick glasses and a bag so large, it might topple her over. The exact image of “British Grandmother” that you could ever hope for. 

“What can I help you with today?” 

“My little Mia here,” she turns behind her, and with more force than Dan assumed the woman had, pulls the girl towards the counter. “She’s in need of some help and I was told you could help her.” 

Mia looks mortified. Her face has gone pitch red and she still hasn’t taken her eyes off the floor. 

“Well, that depends on what’s going on, but we can have a chat and see.” 

Dan smiles at the woman, concerned that whatever is going on with Mia might be something more serious. He’s seen this a few times before. 

He’s a registered Naturopath, and he does promote that his products can improve health and wellbeing, but there’s limitations to what he can offer without conventional medical help. 

There’s a trend he’s noticed within a certain generation that doesn’t believe in modern medicine and thinks every doctor is out to harm them. Unfortunately, they tend to find his shop and he has to turn them away when their illness or injury likely requires something such as surgery or intensive pharmaceuticals. 

Dan knows he’s a bit contradictory. He went into his field because he saw the benefits of natural solutions, but he’s also a strong believer in modern medicine. 

And there is a crowd who isn’t fond of him because of that. He has a feeling he’s staring at one right now. 

The woman still has her hands on Mia’s arm, like she is aware of how much Mia would like to run away. As Dan begins to walk around the counter, she speaks. 

“Mia, tell him what you told me about the demon inside your head. Go on,” she motions towards Dan. “Be polite and look at him while you speak, dear.” 

Dan’s heart breaks for the girl as he hears the words. His own teenage years and struggles rapid fire through his head, his own family pushing him when he didn’t want to be pushed. 

He speaks up before Mia is forced to. “Ms., —“

“Oh dear, call me Evelyn.” 

“It’s nice to meet you and Mia, Evelyn. I’m Dan.” 

He motions for the three of them to take a seat in the chairs he has set up near the front of the shop.

“My friend, Doris, told me how you fixed her up with a bunch of things that solved all of her stomach problems.” Evelyn isn’t even seated yet, but Dan doesn’t think she’d stop talking for much of anything. 

“And she said, you had a solution for everything in here,” she continues. “First I told her it a bunch of witchcraft and she’s probably going to be poisoned by taking it. Stubborn bat, wouldn’t listen to me. But I know Doris, and she hasn’t complained in weeks about her stomach. That’s all she does, you know, complain.” 

Dan glances at Mia and sees she’s picking the skin on her fingers. 

“So I thought to myself that if she isn’t complaining, then maybe it wasn’t witchcraft. Maybe there’s something to this,” she waves her hands into the air around here head. “— this, whatever you call it. And then she told me it was a young man running the shop, and so I was set it couldn’t be witchcraft.” 

Forcing the laughter down his throat, he gives Evelyn a small nod. 

He tries to take control of the conversation, as much as he doesn’t want to put Mia through anymore pain than she’s already in, he knows this won’t end without trying to talk to her. 

“So Mia, can you tell me a little about what’s going on, then? What brought you in?” 

Evelyn looks at her for half a beat, before speaking again.

“Dear, you need to speak up.” 

Mia finally looks up from the floor and towards her grandmother. Dan can see her eyes are pitch red and fighting back tears that are ready to fall. 

“Why don’t I make us some tea, and then we can chat,” he offers her an out.

“Lovely!” Evelyn’s face lights up. Mia glances quickly at Dan and he tries to communicate understanding the best he can, but she looks away so quickly. 

Dan stands up from his chair and makes his way to the back where he turns on a kettle to boil and grabs some mugs off the shelves. He can overhear muttering from Mia, “It’s fine, I don’t need this.” 

Evelyn isn’t so quiet. “You haven’t been to school in weeks and I won’t let you give me excuses anymore. Either you talk to him or I’m calling your parents and you can go back to that house.” 

She says “that house” with such hatred, Dan can only imagine what hell Mia has been through to put her in this position. He tries hard to not let his own past seep into his brain. A home he wasn’t welcome in, where he didn’t want to be anyways, and a grandmother being his only escape. 

He collects everything onto a tray and makes his way back to the pair.

“Mia, why don’t we let Evelyn sort out some tea for herself, and we can go take a look at a few products I have at the counter.” He offers her a small smile, and she looks at him directly for the first time since they entered. 

Something flashes over her face before she drops her eyes again. “Okay. Gran, can you make my tea as well, please?” 

Given a role of importance, Evelyn seems happy that something is happening, and all but shoos Mia away. 

“There’s some reading material there as well if you’d like Evelyn.” He motions towards the table of Mrs. Robinson’s trashy tabloid magazines that he hadn’t had the heart to get rid of yet. 

“Thank you, dear,” she sounds interested enough, Dan hopes it keeps her occupied for a few minutes. 

Mia stands and follows Dan towards the counter, taking a seat at one of the barstools. 

Dan speaks low enough that he knows Evelyn won’t hear over the quiet music coming from the corner. 

“Mia, you don’t need to speak to me if you don’t want to. But know that if you are struggling at all, there’s someone to help and to listen, me or someone else.” 

He hears her swallow and watches as she pulls skin away from her already scabbed and discoloured finger, not concerned about the red, raw skin that appears below. 

There’s a few moments of silence that Dan struggles through, thinking how to fill, and then Mia speaks. 

“My Gran doesn’t believe in doctors, says they want to kill her, or give her drugs to shut her up.” 

Dan gives her a small smile and laugh. 

“I get it, I actually see a lot of people just like your Gran in here. I’m sorry it’s you she’s dragging in.” 

She nods at the table. 

“Can I tell you a bit about myself?” 

Mia just nods again. 

“I chose to study herbal medicine because of the number of doctors and therapists I had seen in high school. Some of them were so unbelievably helpful and others weren’t. I wanted to do my part and help other people the way some of them helped me.” 

He moves to grab a few different bottles and jars from his shelves and looks over to check on Evelyn, who has her nose shoved in a magazine. 

“I really struggled with my mental health, I still do.” This makes Mia look up at him. “But I’m managing it, and some days are hard, but most days are okay now. It took time to get here, but I had people that helped.”

Dan pauses for a moment, waiting to see if Mia will speak but she doesn’t. Her eyes have moved to the numerous items he put onto the counter. 

“These are some of the things that have helped me in the past, but I’ve also taken pharmaceuticals from doctors and psychiatrists and have done a lot of talk therapy. It’s not a one size fits all.” 

“I know,” Mia says quietly. She looks back up at him and he can see some determination in her eyes. 

“I’ve been talking to my school nurse a bit, and he told me I should tell my Gran what’s going on. That’s why she brought me here. He thinks I have anxiety and should talk to my doctor.” 

Dan gives her a small smile and he nods. 

“Well how about this, I can give you a few teas that might help if you’re feeling a bit anxious, they won’t do anything major, but they may calm you a bit. And I’ll give you a card that has a few websites on it. They have therapists who can talk over the phone, or text if that’s easier if you can’t get to your doctor. I really think you should start there, sometimes talking is the best thing you can do.” 

“Thank you,” Mia wraps her sweater around herself tighter and folds her arms across her stomach as she looks over at her Gran. 

“It seems like she means well,” Dan starts to package up a few different tea options. 

“She does. And she’s all I’ve got right now.” 

“My Nana was the only person I had for a long time. She tried her best too, it’s sometimes a little harder for them, I think.” The memory of her makes his heart break slightly. 

Mia just nods and watches as Dan mixes a combination of herbs into small containers. 

“Why don’t you go join her for tea. I’ll have this ready to go for when you’re done.” 

They stay for a short while to finish their tea and while Evelyn is paying for the small bag of items, the bell to the shop rings again. 

He grabs Evelyn’s receipt and says goodbye to the pair before turning to see who had entered the shop in the meantime. 

There’s a tall, dark haired quiff poking out over one of the shelves. Dan swigs some of his coffee, hoping this will be a quick visit so he can go back to sitting in silence with his hangover. He makes his way back around the counter and approaches the shelving unit. 

“Hi there, can I give you a hand with — uh, o-oh —,” he pauses and stumbles over his words. 

He’s caught staring into the same piercing blue eyes from yesterday at the pub.


End file.
